Trincomalee gets new General Hospital

The expansion of the Trincomalee General Hospital comes at a decisive time. There is a rapid influx of people arriving in the district, following the dawn of peace in the island, intensifying the healthcare needs of the population.

The district, which consists mainly of low socioeconomic households at the bottom of the pyramid, now attracts strategic investments, which will make the Trincomalee District the future model in the Eastern Province.

This includes the development of the Sampur Coal Power Plant; the proposed mixed-Industrial Zone and of course the booming tourism industry that is located in the most picturesque beach fronts of Sri Lanka.

The Trincomalee District, home to a population of 400,000, received a brand new state-of-the-art General Hospital as a result of a unique partnership between the Ministry of Health and the donor AmeriCares with the Project Management partner being the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The facility was inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in presence of the Minister of Health, Provincial Governor, Chief Secretary and other provincial and district dignitaries, along with AmeriCares Vice President Carol Shattuck and the Country Director of UNOPS, Francoise Jacob.

The new 83,000 square-foot ward complex in the Trincomalee General Hospital was built by UNOPS with the financial assistance of AmeriCares under the direction of the Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka. The value of the new health facility is US$ 2.8 million.

The ward complex includes specialised units for mammography, endoscopy, laboratory complex, and radiography facilities. Mothers-to-be and their babies have access to a fully equipped Maternity Ward and a neonatal ICU free of charge. The four-storey building also houses the Medical, Surgical ICUs and an Emergency Ward. The new ward complex enables the hospital to treat 250 additional patients; this is in line with the future development agenda of the district.

A physician commented: “This is a very practical facility, which is being completed with state-of-the-art equipment, good light and aeration, which will/benefit the people of Trincomalee. People must look after the facility, so that their children can benefit from the investment.”